Emery reveals how he will turn Arsenal into title contenders

Arsenal boss Unai Emery says he believes he can be the man to deliver success back to the club this season, insisting he wants his players to enjoy playing under him.

The Gunners have a new found confidence about them after the arrival of Emery, and have made some really positive signings during the summer transfer window.

They also had an impressive pre-season campaign, only losing one game on penalties to Atletico Madrid.

Emery’s side kick off their Premier League campaign on Sunday against the champions Manchester City, and the manager has insisted he will give his players the freedom to express themselves and hopefully contend for the title this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of their season opener, Emery spoke about how he wants to see his players operate over the coming months.

“Defensively: first it is to be organised, recover the ball quickly,” he said. “But in these two moments in the match we need to work. To say it here is easier than doing it on the pitch. We also need time, but now I am happy because I think the players are improving.

“When we are thinking in an attacking moment, I want the goalkeeper thinking for that, he is the first. The same when we are thinking defensively, I want our strikers to be thinking: ‘We need to protect the goalkeepers’. I want those two moments to feel the same for all players.

“Each player has this quality, this characteristic to help the team as a collective. For me, that is very important.

“Our style with the ball is to be protagonists, to do things with combinations, to control the match with the positioning of the ball. And then when we have the space, to be aggressive going forward.

“We need two things: quality players, which we have, and then organisation. Together I think we can improve, to win in our way. I repeat: organised, then play.”